Researchers
Principal Investigator: Dr. Lorrie K. Sippola
I was born in Saskatoon and completed Grade 12 at Mount Royal Collegiate. In 1995, I completed a Phd psychology at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Following my Phd, I finished post-doctoral research training at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, Germany and at the Henry Murray Research Centre at Harvard University. I owe my current career as a developmental scientist to an earlier career in the criminal justice field. At a crucial point, my supervisor told me that I needed to get an undergraduate degree. At the time, I had a friend who was a psychologist who convinced me to take a B.A. in psychology - so I did. Almost 10 years later, I found myself with a PhD in hand and an academic job in Saskatoon. Note the important role of my friend in helping steer me toward this path of life!
My interest in adolescent development stems primarily from the intervention work I did with young
offenders and with adult male offenders. At the time, clinical literature suggested that early developmental challenges
were contributing factors to criminal behaviour and deviance. After some difficult experiences working within the system,
it began to make more sense, to me, to work from a preventative model. A preventative model emphasizes the importance of
understanding the development of a particular outcome. This is in contrast to an intervention model, which focuses on
treating outcomes after the onset of symptoms. From both personal and professional experience, adolescence appeared to
be a crucial stage of development for these behaviors. More importantly, relationships during this period of development
seem to provide a window of opportunity for change. For example, interviews with clients suggested to me that positive
relationships at crucial points of development (i.e., in adolescence) provided opportunities to repair "damages" from
earlier experiences. Alternatively, challenging relationships during these important periods of development appeared to
contribute to the onset of particular problems. I know now that this is known as a "developmental" perspective and it
forms the basis for a great deal of research in Canada and the United States. For more information about my research
interests and publications, visit the
psychology department web
site at the University of Saskatchewan.
When I left Saskatoon in the early 1980s, I never expected to return. Indeed, at the time, I had no
desire to return. However, after spending almost two years at a post-doctoral research position in the U.S., I was eager
to come home to Canada and Saskatoon was the only job on the market at the time. Although somewhat sceptical about it at
the time, it has been a good move. Saskatoon has grown into a vibrant, interesting city with a lot to offer. I have been
fortunate to work with the
Saskatoon Public School Division and I value the professionalism and genuine concern for all
aspects of a child's education that I have observed at every level. Although my research examines questions from a basic
developmental perspective, my interests in adolescent development correspond with numerous issues facing teachers, parents
and school administrators. I am currently working with two groups of public school division employees on projects that they
have initiated. I am interested in helping anyone in the system who wants to learn more about research and who has an
interest in our youth.
In my spare time, I can be found walking (or running) along our beautiful river bank with my dog, Kita.
I also enjoy reading, playing squash, or spending time with friends. I am also involved in RESOLVE, a tri-provincial network
for research and education for solutions to violence. Although I do not believe that we will eliminate violence in our
society, I do believe that we have an obligation to minimize the negative effects of violence and abuse particularly for
the most vulnerable members of society - our children. Activism takes many forms - mine involves donating the skills and
knowledge that I have been fortunate to acquire to help others examine their own research questions. For more information
about RESOLVE, please contact our community co-ordinator (306) 966-2255 or send us an email at
resolve@arts.usask.ca.
Co-investigator: Dr. William M. Bukowski
Dr. Bukowski is a full professor at Concordia University in Montreal where he teaches and does research in developmental
psychology. Dr. Bukowski is an internationally recognized scholar in the field of peer relations. He and Dr. Sippola
have been working as a team for almost 10 years. They have published numerous papers together and collaborate on another
project in Montreal. You can find out more about Dr. Bukowski by visiting the
psychology department web site at Concordia.
